The Vanilla Theory And Carnatic Music

The book Freakonomics inspired me to think of reasons beyond the obvious for everyday phenomena. And as an amateur classical musician I often wonder why Carnatic music, arguably the most evolved art form in the world, is not popular with the masses. Interestingly Steven Levitt (author of Freaknomics) and Thomas Friedman (author of ‘The World Is Flat’) combine in ways that they not of to offer a solution to this phenomenon.

The obvious reason that any Tom, Dick and Harry would give for this trend is that Carnatic music is boring to the average listener. While empirical evidence would support that view, it is my opinion this is only half the truth. And you know what they say about half truths?

“Vanillas simply don’t sell in today’s world”, goes an expression used by Thomas Freidman in ‘The World Is Flat’. Simply put, it means that you would rather gas up your car at a station where your car’s glasses are wiped for free, where the air is checked for free and where you can have the option of shopping or guzzling down a pizza, than at a station that only fills your tank. The latter variety of petrol bunk is simply a vanilla. The former is like vanilla ice-cream mixed with black forest and with chocolate sauce and nuts as toppings and also served in a fancy cup that carries the logo of your favourite actress. Should I even ask which one made your mouth water?

Apply the same analogy to music. Carnatic music is a vanilla - plain, simple yet delightful to taste and something that is easy to relate to. And film music like the ones made by geniuses like AR Rahman and Ilayaraja resemble the second variety of ice-cream – it has vanilla and a lot more. Go back to what Thomas Friedman said – “Plain vanillas don’t sell in today’s world”. And that, I believe is the reason why the high degree of evolution in Carnatic music does not add up to popular appeal. There is no problem with the vanilla; it is simply that the vanilla doesn’t sell by itself anymore.

This is just my view on this issue. It may be correct or it may be wrong, because it is just a hypothesis.

So where do I stand on my own explanation? Obviously the second form ice-cream with all the chocolate sauce and nuts, appeals to me. But the taste of the simple vanilla is lost in this. And nothing beats the simple vanilla ice-cream. Vanilla need not be a hot favourite for it to be mine.